Jack In The Box novel Chapter 11

“What are you going to do to me?” That’s the first thing I asked him after I’d handed him the scalpel. He was assessing it curiously, like he hadn’t seen a blade in his life before. “Jackson, I asked you something.”

“Relax, Nurse Riley. I ain’t gonna touch a single hair off your pretty little head, well, unless you want me too,” he grinned, quickly hiding the scalpel underneath the hospital bed. “Now, there’s one other thing I need from you.”

He wrote down a number for me and gave me instructions on what I was supposed to do.

“Are you nuts?” I almost shrieked at him. It was hard to keep my voice down. “If someone finds out about it, it’s going to be a criminal offense. I could go to jail for this.”

“I assure you that if you follow my instructions, nothing will happen to you but if you want to refuse, that’s fine because one way or the other I will find my way out of here and when that’s done, baby brother will be home waiting for you.” He said.

And then added, “In the freezer.”

He barked out a laugh. This wasn’t funny anymore. I bit my lip hard. “Dr. Paul suspects there’s something going on between us.”

“Well that cocky bastard ain’t got nothing else to do. He’s just teasing you, I bet.” Jackson said. “He’s the type of a guy who pretends to know everything, but doesn’t.”

Frustrated, I asked “Why me?! Why are you doing this to me?”

Jackson’s expressions turned serious, “I warned you enough times to give up on me, didn’t I?”

“It’s my job! I never asked for this!” I said.

“Well neither did I, but we are stuck with each other, Cotton-Candy.” He said. “The smarter ones took off, but Dr. Aaron thought you could make a difference because you’re kind and forgiving, but then again, this isn’t some fucking cliché novel where the Nurse slowly treats and cures the patient with their love.”

When I didn’t say anything, he muttered. “You should have left when you had a chance like everyone else.”

Instead of answering to that, I said, “at five-thirty I’ll be ready with whatever you need but you have to keep your word and no one gets hurt.”

He made a cross on his heart with his finger.

“See you in the evening, Nurse Riley.”

I placed all the things that Jackson asked me to in a bag and placed it under the bushes where it wasn’t visible to anyone. I had to be very very sneaky, considering the fact that Paul Bennet had a close eye on me.

After that I went along with the rest of the plan. That evening, Jackson was on a wheelchair, faking a migraine and how after almost slicing his wrists he still had weakness in his body. It was mandatory to take patients out in a wheelchair, mental or not and this was a good opportunity for whatever he had planned.

When we reached the ground floor, he eyed the corridor, waiting for a doctor to appear. Because Jackson was in luck, Dr. Deena was doing her usual rounds. Sweet, understanding, nerdy Dr. Deena who was a little too scared of Jackson for obvious reasons.

“If it isn’t Dr. Deena Love, it’s so nice to see you after a long time.” Jackson said.

Dr. Deena smiled politely looking for an answer that did not piss off the lunatic. “Likewise.”

Jackson laughed. “Never thought anyone would say that back to me.”

“Doc, I’m still waiting for your answer for our coffee date.” He called after her with a wink as she passed us.

“Well, Dr. Love isn’t insane, so you should find someone of your caliber.” I retorted.

“Someone like you?” He asked.

I snorted, wheeling the chair towards the hospital courtyard. At the hospital entrance, Jackson leaped to his feet and pulled out the scalpel from his pocket. It was too fast for anyone to react. He took me in a death grip, his arm coiling around my neck, the surgical blade just shy of my jawline, almost digging into my skin.

“If anyone so much as tries to call the police, Nurse Riley dies a slow painful death.”

I was in hysteria, I screamed. “Jackson don’t!”

He pointed the surgical knife at the audience, “Take your cellphones out and put it down on the ground where I can see it.” Someone yelled ‘Don’t hurt her’. Horror was quite evident on everyone’s faces.

“Slow and easy.” He took a few steps back and I had to follow his steps. “No one calls anyone.”

When we reached the hospital gates, he asked the security to hand him the gun and open the gates. The guard knew better than to talk Jackson out of it unless he really wanted to see my throat sliced clean because either way there was no stopping him. The hospital gates opened and Jackson dragged me outside which is when Royal blue Jaguar pulled up at the curb and the door swung open.

I stared at him. “What are you doing?”

“Well, I didn’t escape the asylum so I could play Candy Crush.” He said. I was surprised that even in situation as these he was still having his humor intact.

“Where are you going, Jackson?”

“Home.” He said.

Something passed between us as we stared at each other, like he knew it was a good-bye.

“Thank you for all your help, Cotton-Candy.” He said and climbed into the car.

“No! No, wait! Jackson!” I jogged behind the car but it disappeared onto the road with a loud screech.

I was panting when I sat down at the side of the road. The sun was already going down. I covered my face with my hands, thinking what I had done. By helping Jackson roam free, I’d put the lives of innocent people in jeopardy. But I had been so helpless, if I hadn’t done what he had asked me to, he would have hurt my brother.

I walked back towards the hospital, not knowing how I was going to explain any of this to Aaron. I knew Paul would be breathing down my throat by the end of this day. He wouldn’t let me live peacefully. Tears began flooding and blurring my vision.

As soon as I stepped inside the gates, my friend Nurse Madeline, popularly known as Massi wrapped me in a tight hug. “Oh my god. Riley, what happened?”

I stared at her. “He escaped, Maddy.” I cried. “Because of me, because I let him out and now...” I sobbed some more. “He’s going to kill more people.”

Maddy shook her head, patting my arm, “it’s not your fault. He threatened you.”

It was part of his plan. I’d helped him do that.

That day passed with people enquiring me how I was coping. It didn’t come as a shock to everyone that I was a victim to Jackson’s never ending ways to mentally torture people, when I’d signed up as his nurse I had no idea it was so hard to deal with him.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, I reached for it. A text from Aaron.

Riley, come see me in my office.

I sighed. I was already dreading what was about to follow. How was I going to face Aaron? What would I say to him when he comforts me saying that it was alright; that I was just another one of Jackson’s victims. I couldn’t lie to his face when all he had done was support me.

I walked into Aaron’s office expecting him to hug me, or give me some words of reassurance. But his expressions were grim, he frowned at me and told me to have a seat.